Islamabad (Staff Report): Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi on Saturday shared the tax bills of a flat in New York allegedly owned by former president Asif Ali Zardari.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has filed a reference with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Sindh against Zardari for concealing his property in the United States.
On December 20, PTI’s member of Sindh Assembly Khurram Sherzaman filed a petition with ECP’s provincial office.
Citing Article 62 and 63 of the Constitution, the reference underscores that in his nomination form for the 2018 general elections, Asif Ali Zardari had failed to declare an apartment he allegedly owns in New York, United States.
However, the provincial election commissioner maintained that only ECP Islamabad could take an action over it.
As per The property documents tweeted by Zaidi mention address of the apartment as: 524 East 72 street, Apt 37F, NY, NY Manhattan 10021. The property tax bills posted by the minister on twitter bear the name of. "Asif A. Zardari".
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The PTI minister, earlier on December 20, tweeted the alleged sale deed of the apartment which mentioned the PPP leader as the grantee/buyer.
Meanwhile, a banking court on Friday extended the interim pre-arrest bail of former president and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur till January 7 in money laundering case.
This is pertinent to mention that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is investigating 32 people, including Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur in connection with money laundering from fake accounts.
Zardari’s close aide Hussain Lawai was arrested in July in connection with the probe.
Former president's other close aide and Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed and his son, Abdul Ghani, were also arrested by FIA earlier this month whereas Majeed’s three other sons were granted interim bail.
Over 20 ‘benami’ accounts were opened in 2013, 2014 and 2015 in some banks from where transactions worth billions of rupees were made, according to sources.
According to FIA sources, the amount is said to be black money gathered from various kickbacks, commissions and bribes.
